Editor's note
Issue date: 9/22/06 Section: Opinion
- Page 1 of 1
Editor's note: The preceding letter by Mr. Woodworth, owner of Zao Tattoo, at 1204 E. Jackson St., addressed several criticisms regarding an article printed in Page 2 of last Friday's Western Courier.
In an effort to highlight the two tattoo parlors in Macomb, the journalist of this piece entered both shops with an entirely unbiased point of view. At no time did she attempt to pit "both establishments against each other" in an effort to create a feud between the two businesses. The Western Courier has never even considered running a news article that favored one side over the other.
Furthermore, it is inaccurate to state that our reporter misquoted Mr. Woodworth. Her records clearly show that everything printed in the article regarding Zao Tattoo was documented and deemed "on-the-record." Since these notes indeed indicate the quotations were correct, Mr. Woodsworth unfairly maligned our writer's integrity in his letter to the editor.
In yet another attempt to unjustly question our reporter's credibility, Mr. Woodworth claimed the author never identified herself as a Western Courier employee. In her documents, however, it clearly states that another meeting was arranged for the purpose of obtaining photographs for the WC. Upon her second visit, our reporter said Mr. Woodworth asked her when the article would be published - further ensuring her credibility despite allegations.
When we initially addressed Mr. Woodworth's concerns about the article, our reporter instantly came from her final class last Friday with notes from the interview readily available. What was perceived as a minimal amount of notes taken was in fact more than one page worth from Zao Tattoo's side of the article alone.
Due to a possible miscommunication prices in the article were misconstrued, and thus incorrectly worded. This issue was promptly addressed in Monday's edition of the WC through a correction that ran on the same page as the previous article.
We informed Mr. Woodworth last Friday that the price correction would run after he addressed his complaints to several Western Courier employees. Despite the written assurance on our end, he pursued the matter further on Saturday by contacting an editor's private cell phone. While our commitment to addressing concerns undoubtedly goes beyond our designated business hours, that does not mean we should have to tolerate such harassment outside the office.
In conclusion, this article did not shed negative light on either establishment covered. Since body art is an integral component of the college lifestyle for many Western Illinois University students, we felt it necessary to provide a story that highlighted both options locally available.
We have never once doubted Mr. Woodworth's creative ability. While he may not feel his establishment was plugged to his satisfaction we will continue to publish fair and accurate reporting.
In an effort to highlight the two tattoo parlors in Macomb, the journalist of this piece entered both shops with an entirely unbiased point of view. At no time did she attempt to pit "both establishments against each other" in an effort to create a feud between the two businesses. The Western Courier has never even considered running a news article that favored one side over the other.
Furthermore, it is inaccurate to state that our reporter misquoted Mr. Woodworth. Her records clearly show that everything printed in the article regarding Zao Tattoo was documented and deemed "on-the-record." Since these notes indeed indicate the quotations were correct, Mr. Woodsworth unfairly maligned our writer's integrity in his letter to the editor.
In yet another attempt to unjustly question our reporter's credibility, Mr. Woodworth claimed the author never identified herself as a Western Courier employee. In her documents, however, it clearly states that another meeting was arranged for the purpose of obtaining photographs for the WC. Upon her second visit, our reporter said Mr. Woodworth asked her when the article would be published - further ensuring her credibility despite allegations.
When we initially addressed Mr. Woodworth's concerns about the article, our reporter instantly came from her final class last Friday with notes from the interview readily available. What was perceived as a minimal amount of notes taken was in fact more than one page worth from Zao Tattoo's side of the article alone.
Due to a possible miscommunication prices in the article were misconstrued, and thus incorrectly worded. This issue was promptly addressed in Monday's edition of the WC through a correction that ran on the same page as the previous article.
We informed Mr. Woodworth last Friday that the price correction would run after he addressed his complaints to several Western Courier employees. Despite the written assurance on our end, he pursued the matter further on Saturday by contacting an editor's private cell phone. While our commitment to addressing concerns undoubtedly goes beyond our designated business hours, that does not mean we should have to tolerate such harassment outside the office.
In conclusion, this article did not shed negative light on either establishment covered. Since body art is an integral component of the college lifestyle for many Western Illinois University students, we felt it necessary to provide a story that highlighted both options locally available.
We have never once doubted Mr. Woodworth's creative ability. While he may not feel his establishment was plugged to his satisfaction we will continue to publish fair and accurate reporting.
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